Bringing businesses online is challenging in any industry. In the communications industry, complex operational infrastructures and intricate partner relationships pose an even bigger challenge in extending businesses to the Internet. In addition, today's climate of active consolidation means all providers will eventually face the challenge of integrating existing operational systems with those of a newly-formed subsidiary, parent, or partner. To remain competitive, providers must evolve into new organizations based on scalable infrastructures that incorporate dynamic and automated business processes to support customer-centric activities. New systems must also be designed for flexibility and efficiency to ensure continuous and responsive customer support. Retooling an existing infrastructure, however, is a costly and time-consuming option, even for new entrants burdened by few legacy systems.
What is desired is to develop a comprehensive, communications-specific electronic business (eBusiness) solution that communications service providers can easily deploy.